Wheel chocks are blocks or other impediments that are used against one or more wheels of a parked vehicle to restrict unwanted movement of the vehicle. In a typical scenario, wheel chocks are used to restrain movement of small aircraft when parked. Since small aircraft are typically rather light weight and often do not have parking brake systems, when parked, such aircraft are especially susceptible to wind gusts and to the buffeting of winds created by other propeller or turboprop aircraft or by jet airplanes.
Prior art wheel chocks have attempted to solve these problems. For example, Design Patents: D385,526, D387,323, D410,887, D415,463, and D409,554 feature wedge shaped block designs, while other wheel chock systems have used wire-ropes or other securing devices attached to the chocks, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,586, U.S. patent application Publication No. US2001/0040073A1, and U.S. patent application Publication No. US2002/0005321A1. However, the buffeting of parked light aircraft by strong gusts of wind or by the backwash of propellers/turboprops/jet airplanes often can dislodge traditional wedge shaped chocks. Additionally, several of the designs mentioned above can be cumbersome and difficult to install.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for a wheel chock device for vehicles that addresses the foregoing and other related and unrelated problems in the art.